


Proof that Tony Stark Has a Heart

by tonysangels



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2019-05-31 02:51:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15110318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonysangels/pseuds/tonysangels
Summary: With her, his life is better.





	1. Promise

Sunlight floods into the room; the yellow light is bright on the white walls and sheets, and it’s enough to finally wake Tony. He stirs a little, rubbing his eyes before turning to her. 

It was her idea to have the room this way. White sheets, white curtains, white walls. She liked the glow that filled the room when the curtains were open, especially in the mornings. Tony wasn’t much of a morning person, but he had the master bedroom design changed the same day she suggested it. 

He’ll do just about anything for her. 

It’s early, but he’s awake. She’s gotten him into a routine; waking up early, (trying) to get to bed at a reasonable time. Though he refused the idea for a while, it was actually a pretty good system. More work was accomplished during the day, and he was blessed to wake up next to her glowing beautifully in the morning sunrise. He wasn’t sure if it was the actual routine or if it was her, but mornings weren’t so bad anymore. 

Tony turns over to look at her, her back facing him. It’s still bare from the night before, dark hair falling over her shoulders. His hands find her skin, fingertips gently roaming over her back. She sighs unconsciously, still exhausted from last night’s gala.

When she doesn’t react to his touch, he starts pressing feather-light kisses onto her back. His lips graze her skin gently, and when she rolls over to face him, he moves his kisses to her neck and chest. A smile creeps onto her lips as she sees a mischievous look in his eyes.

“Tony…”

He hums against her collarbone. “Good morning, sweetheart.”

She mumbles something in return, a sigh escaping her mouth as Tony finds the sweet spot on her neck. “Tony, honey…”

His chuckles combined with kisses sends shivers up her spine, and this time she moans softly, much to Tony’s pleasure. Her hands find his hair, and she runs her fingers through the dark strands. 

Soon, she’s tired of his lips not meeting hers, and she holds his cheeks as their lips finally touch. He grunts in surprise, gently falling against her as he loses his balance from previously focusing on her collarbone. Their foreheads bump a little, but all is well when their lips meet again. 

After a while, Tony’s mouth returns to her collarbone and chest. She shivers again when she feels his kisses. His hands are suddenly roaming her body once more, and she sighs.

“This was certainly an interesting way to wake up.”

He pauses for a moment, pecking her cheek gently. “I thought it would be a great segue for something else I had planned this morning.”

“You aren’t planning on making me breakfast, are you?”

He feigns innocence, but the playful look in his eyes is unmistakable. “Oh, God, no. I’m actually just planning on kissing you all morning, if that’s okay. And I’m not really taking no for an answer on that.”

She squeals in delight as Tony climbs on top of her and nuzzles his face against her neck. Quick kisses are peppered over her neck, cheeks, and chest, and she can’t stop her laughter as Tony’s stubble tickles her skin. Her breath catches in her throat as Tony’s hands slip under the sheets to her hips and thighs. 

Her laughter, the way she squirms as he plants another kiss to her skin, her warmth—Tony cannot get enough of her. 

Ever since they met, it was like Tony was a teenager falling in love for the first time. He was itching to talk to her every chance he had, constantly finding ways to sneak out of meetings and catch her around the tower. Though she didn’t like to admit it, she was initially hesitant to be the woman that the Tony Stark was chasing. 

Now that they were together, she felt blessed to be with him. Tony never missed the opportunity to make her feel loved, cherished, and adored. Every day with Tony was a dream come true. 

And he’s still kissing her, his callused fingertips lighting her body on fire, and she, too, cannot get enough. Her face almost hurts from the giggling and the smiling, and she’s breathless as Tony continues to press his lips on every inch of her body. 

Tony’s hovering over her face now, kissing her nose over and over. Every time a giggle echoes in the room, his heart swells. He finally flops on top of her, sighing as he feels her arms wrapping around him. 

“Are you tired?”

She smirks. “Not going to lie, I am a little tired after last night.”

He looks up at her, trying not to smile. “Oh, yeah? Why are you tired?”

“I don’t know,” she drawls, tracing her fingers on his back, “Champagne may have been involved. I do remember a very attractive playboy taking me to his room…can’t remember much after that.” 

Tony rolls his eyes as she giggles again. She grips him tightly, breathing in the smell of his hair as he lays on her chest. Her fingers are in the dark strands again, and her gentle touch almost lulls him back to sleep. She’s singing softly, a ballad that was playing at the gala. One of her favorites, he remembers, although as he’s trying to recall the lyrics, the soft tune only adds his drowsiness. He’s almost completely asleep until he realizes that the singing has ceased, and she’s barely speaking above a whisper. He catches some of her words at first, and then his heart soars as he hears her talking about him, not knowing that he’s listening.

“…make me so happy, you know. I never thought I’d be here, holding you like this so early in the morning. I love that you like mornings now. I know you hated them for a while, but now we’re here, and now we’re together. I like being together. I like you.”

Tony lifts his head to meet her gaze; he smiles to see that her face immediately flushes pink. “God, I sure hope you like me. We sleep together every night. We have been for a while, now.”

"You are the worst.”

His lips are back on her skin, and she sighs happily, accepting his kisses as she closes her eyes again. They’re a little more innocent now, limited to her cheeks and her nose. He stops to look at her, really look at her, admiring her natural complexion. The sun hits her eyes just right, and it’s almost out of a movie, how beautiful she looks. A final kiss is pressed to her forehead, and it’s so gentle and wonderful and just so damn sweet that her heart is almost melting.

“I love you.”

Her arms wrap around his neck. “Yeah, I know.”

Tony’s surprised now, not quite expecting a snarky remark from her. That was more his style, not hers. He laughs in genuine shock, shaking his head as it hits the pillow again.

“I love you.”

“…you said that already.”

He curls around her, fitting perfectly against her body. “Yeah, I know. I just want to make sure you remembered, that’s all.”

She giggles, holding his arm as it slides around her waist. “How could I ever forget?”

“I just…don’t want you to forget that. Ever.” Tony’s voice is soft now, cracking on the last word. His grip around her waist tightens, and he releases a shaky breath.

She turns around, pressing her forehead against his. He closes his eyes, silently wishing that he hadn’t said anything at all. God, he can feel warmth on his cheeks—he feels ridiculous, blushing like this. 

Of course, she doesn’t mind. Her hands cup his cheeks, and she kisses him softly, and she waits patiently for his eyes to open and meet hers again. Finally, deep brown eyes flutter open, and she smiles softly.

“I won’t forget.”

He’s quiet for a moment. “Promise?”

“Cross my heart.”

His lips curl into a smirk. “Okay. I feel better now that you crossed your heart.”

They stay facing each other, curled up and tangled together in a wonderful, sleepy mess. She’s singing again, and Tony hums along to the tune as he remembers the song from last night. She’s the first to fall asleep this time, the melody slowly fading as Tony strokes her hair. 

Mornings aren’t so bad anymore. With her, they are absolutely perfect.


	2. Ever Since we Met

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story of how Tony meets the love of his life, and the story of how they finally get together.

The moment Tony Stark meets the love of his life is not exactly a fairytale moment. 

He was running all over the tower, actually. Late to his meetings and in desperate need of more caffeine, so he took it upon himself to get some. He had already finished the two cups that the intern had brought him that morning, but it still wasn’t enough. 

Upon returning to the tower with three more cups of coffee, Tony is running into the nearest elevator, crashing into an unsuspecting stranger. Coffee flies out of the lids, splashing and burning a woman’s shirt and skin. She yelps in surprise, jumping away from Tony. 

He immediately drops the tray of coffee and pulls out a handkerchief from his pocket. “Shit, I’m so—”

She forces a smile on her face, biting her tongue. “It’s fine, sir…oh my  _god.”_

Her eyes widen to see the man whose name is written all over the tower, finally standing in front of her. She knew she’d see him eventually for meetings, perhaps a fundraiser or gala. She never thought she’d see him on her first day at the job, and surely not now, dripping in espresso that he spilled all over her.

“Here, miss, just take the handkerchief. I’m so, so sorry.”

She’s flustered now, taking the small piece of cloth even though it’ll do nothing to hide the brown stains all over her clothing. 

He holds out his hand. “I’m Tony, by the way.”

She laughs. “I think I got that. It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. Stark.”

“You can call me Tony, you know. Mr. Stark was my old man’s name.” He brings his lips to meet her knuckles, and she smirks in surprise. She knows that the man was known for being flirtatious, and although she hates to admit it, the look in his eyes makes her heart melt.

“Well then, Tony. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Tony clears his throat, trying not to stare into those beautiful eyes of hers. “Where are you headed?”

“I should probably run back to my apartment for some clothes,” she teases, shooting him a playful look, “but I’m on the 63rd floor. I work for your biomedical division.”

The way she teases him and the smirk that follows nearly makes his heart stop. Still, he attempts to be casual. “You know, I’m actually on my way there right now.” 

She raises an eyebrow. “You pressed the 93rd floor button right before you crashed into me.”

It’s Tony’s turn to become flustered, now that he was very clearly caught in a lie. She rolls her eyes, trying not to laugh as they both step off the elevator together. He smiles, chasing after her as she sits down in her new office.

Tony misses almost all of his meetings that day. The meetings on the biomedical division go smoothly, and all he can think about for the rest of the day is  _her._

~

Every day, Tony brings her a cup of coffee. He insists that he needs to make up for the initial coffee fiasco, and he continues spoiling her for the next month. She hates to admit it, but she looks forward to her lunch break every day. Tony arrives with the same cup of coffee, lying about having come from an impromptu meeting with her boss and “just so” happening to stop by with fresh cup for her.

The two sit in her office, Tony smiling as he hands her the cup. “How’s your first month here at the company?”

“I think I’m doing well,” she replies, sipping the coffee, “I think I’m getting the hang of everything. It helps that I’ve got someone bringing me coffee every day.”

And of course, Tony’s heart is soaring. Those beautiful lips smirking behind the coffee cup, the way her eyes seem to shine with just a hint of mischief—he can feel himself falling  _fast._ He’s never anything even remotely close to what he’s feeling with her; and although the feeling is foreign and absolutely terrifying, he doesn’t give a damn. He wants her.

Tony clears his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. He’s not usually like this, in fact it’s the other way around; most woman are flustered messes before they ever utter a sentence to him.

She’s different, though. The only time she was ever embarrassed or nervous was the first day they met. When they’re together for their lunch and coffee breaks, there is never a dull moment. He knows he shouldn’t be falling so damn fast but it’s  _her_  and he finds himself counting down the minutes for their lunches together. 

It shouldn’t be so damn nerve wracking to ask her out, but still, he’s shifting around in his chair, racking his brain to find the right words. 

“Are you going to the gala?” Tony asks, trying to appear casual. She smiles—it’s not working.

“It’s mandatory that we go. You know that, right?”

“I was mostly just checking,” he lies, forcing a smile in return. “I guess I meant to ask if you were bringing your boyfriend along.”

She bites her lip as she sees the hopeful look in his eyes. “There is no boyfriend, Mr. Stark.”

Perfect.

~

It’s the night of the gala, and all Tony can think about is Y/N finally arriving to the building. He’s been absentmindedly greeting guests all night, wondering when she’ll finally show up. 

“You look ridiculous.”

Tony rolls his eyes as he turns to face Rhodey. “This suit’s probably worth more than your car. I can assure you it’s  _not_ ridiculous.”

“What’s ridiculous is that you’re ignoring every single guest while waiting for your girlfriend who isn’t  _actually_ your girlfriend,” Rhodey scoffs under his breath. 

Tony sighs, clapping a hand on his best friend’s back. “Oh, Rhodey, have you no faith in me?”

“You are ridiculous, Stark.”

The night carries on, and soon, Tony is forced to enter the building rather than wait at the entrance for her. Slightly discouraged, Tony immediately heads to the bar. 

“Scotch, please. I’m starving.”

“They had pretty good food on the other side of the banquet hall, you know.”

He spins around way too quickly, but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t even attempt to hide the smile on his face when he sees her, beautifully dressed in a simple red gown. She is heavenly, and Tony has to force himself to think about something other than those maroon-stained lips of hers. It proves to be rather difficult, since her smile is enough to make him sweat.

“W-what?”

She points across the banquet hall, smirking as his eyes are still trained on her. “There’s food over there, if you want something other than scotch to fill your stomach.”

Tony nods, sipping his scotch anyway. “Glad to see you’re enjoying the party.”

“So, where’s your girlfriend?” she asks, taking a seat next to him at the bar. She is  _dangerously_ close to him, and the smell of perfume is almost intoxicating. She almost seems to be aware of her appeal, and  _god,_ does he love it.

“Don’t have one tonight,” he responds, setting his glass down, “looks like I’m all alone.”

She stands up slowly, leaning in to his ear. “You don’t have to be alone tonight, Mr. Stark.”

And that’s all it takes.

Suddenly, they’re in another room outside the banquet hall—she giggles as Tony shoves a hundred dollar bill in the attendant’s hand to get him out of the coat room—and his lips are finally, finally,  _finally,_ on hers. The more he kisses her, it’s almost like he’s under a spell, but he doesn’t care, he just wants her  _so fucking badly_. She pushes him against the wall of the closet, and he nearly falls apart as she takes control of his mouth. She moans into his lips when she feels his hands grabbing the fabric of her skirt and slipping under the material. Tony’s mouth suddenly leaves hers for a moment.

“Is this okay?” 

She’s shocked by the question and the gentle smile that follows. She wasn’t expecting such a warm feeling from the playboy, and she laughs nervously.

“Tony—we’re in a coat closet.”

“I know, but…is this okay?” 

She smirks. “Are you asking for permission to fuck in a coat closet?”

He chuckles. “When you put it that way, it hurts.“

She grabs his tie, pulling him closer. She presses her lips to his ear, barely speaking above a whisper. Her other hand is fiddling with the button on his pants, and his knees almost buckle when she finally breathes in his ear.

“You have my permission to have your way with me in a coat closet, Mr. Stark.”

~

A week after the gala, she is a ghost. No calls, no coffee breaks during lunch. 

Usually, Tony is used to this. It’s not unusual for him to meet someone, bring her to bed, and the following morning, she’s a ghost. There are no hard feelings (for him, at least), and there isn’t a second thought about it.

All he can think about is her. He’s aching for the sound of her voice, the echoes from that night still stuck in his mind.

Tony is  _not_ the pining type. He is not the type to wallow in self-pity over the girl who doesn’t call back, yet he finds himself in his office at three in the morning, alone, with a cold cup of coffee that was supposed to be for her.

He hates this. He hates that he never sees those beautiful eyes, never hears that wonderful giggle of hers. He misses her, he aches for her, and the thought of being without her rips him in half every day. He’s sick of moping, so he decides to see her the next day.

The next morning at Stark Industries, he’s awake bright and early. He’s early enough to beat the morning rush at Starbucks and make it into the biomedical floor before most of the other staff show up. He cautiously sits in the chair in front of her desk, an odd nervousness bubbling in his stomach.

She walks into her office, and immediately, Tony stands up, holding the coffee. 

“Tony! Hi.”

He forces a smile. “I brought you coffee.”

She purses her lips, holding up her own coffee from her travel mug. “I brought my own today.”

“Oh.”

Her heart almost breaks in half to see his dejected expression. She sighs, setting her bag down on her desk. “Why are you here, Tony?”

“I spent money on overpriced coffee. I thought you might want it, but you don’t.” The edge in his voice is cold, and her chest tightens. She pulls out her wallet, thumbing through extra cash.

“I can pay you, if you want—”

“I don’t want the money, dammit!”

She raises an eyebrow. “Listen, I can manage the whole broken playboy act you’ve got going on here, but you do  _not_  get to yell at me, not while standing in my office, unannounced. You better tell me what’s going on, or get the hell out of here.”

He scoffs. “Acting? I’m not acting, Y/N. I just wanted to talk to you, I haven’t seen you since the gala. You turned into a damn ghost.”

“Tony…”

“I don’t get it. You keep up this little coffee game with me, I thought that maybe you actually  _liked_ me, and then this fucking gala happens, and you’re gone, and you—”

He stops speaking when he hears her chuckling. His mouth hangs open agape, and he has no idea if he’s the one going crazy or it’s her, but her chuckles escalate to loud, nearly hysterical laughter.

“You are insane. Tony Stark, you are fucking  _insane_.”

“ _Me_ , insane? You’re the one who just disappeared, and I—”

“—should be used to this!” she exclaims, throwing her hands in the air. “God, for someone who’s supposed to be a genius, you really are dense. You’re a  _playboy,_ holy shit, Tony. Do not pretend that you don’t do this to every other woman you’ve slept with. I didn’t think it would be such a big deal!”

He runs a hand through his hair, exhaling in frustration. “Those other women—they were different, okay? I’m not trying to say some bullshit cliche. I know you’re different because I’ve been losing sleep, I can’t think, and it’s because of  _you._ Ever since we met, I can’t get you out of my head, God, you’re  _everywhere._ I came here, trying to be nice because I didn’t want you to think you were just a one-night stand, but you don’t care anymore, so neither do I.”

 _Liar. You still care._ Tony hates the tightness in his chest and the fact that his vision is blurred from frustration, and the broken look on her face only adds to the pain in his heart. 

Before she can say anything else, he storms out of the office, and door slamming leaves an eerie echo. She stares at the coffee cup in front of her, eyes watering as she notices that Tony scrawled a smiley face next to her name. She takes a sip, wincing slightly as the fresh coffee burns her tongue.

~

Tony stays in his office the next day, canceling appointments and meetings with other department managers. A glass of scotch sits on his desk, yet he doesn’t drink it. The smell of it reminds him of the gala, and the gala only reminds him of her. 

He does  _not_ want to think about her any more than he already has.

Instead, he attempts staring at the computer screens around him, absentmindedly swiping through designs that were discussed in meetings that he was supposed to go to. FRIDAY’s voice snaps him out of his trance.

“There is someone here to see you, boss.”

“I told you to cancel all my appointments,” Tony grumbles, plopping down in his chair. “I’m indisposed at the moment.”

“Sir, I’m afraid she is rather insistent.”

Fuck. It’s her. 

He shouldn’t. It’s either going to be a happy ending or it’ll end just as terribly as yesterday. He isn’t known for happy endings. There was no getting the girl at the end of the movie; he didn’t have much hope for this one.

But he wants to have hope. He wants this to be his happy ending, the one where the girl comes into his life and she actually stays. He wants it so badly it  _hurts_.

So, he lets her in. 

She’s standing there, holding a coffee cup in her hand. She looks miserable, like she’d been crying, eyes slightly swollen. He chews the inside of his cheek, hating himself and knowing that he’s the reason those beautiful eyes are swollen like that. The broken smile spreads across her face is equally as heartbreaking.

“I brought you some coffee.”

He gestures to the untouched scotch. “I’m good.”

“Please take the coffee, Tony.”

He sighs. “You didn’t have to bring me anything.”

“I owe you about a month’s worth of coffee,” she begins, taking a seat in front of his desk, “Starbucks is expensive. It adds up after a while.”

“Y/N…”

“You said I was different.” She looks him dead in the eyes, setting the coffee down. “You said I was different, and if you mean it, I want to know.”

"It was nothing. It was…just a one-night stand.” He’s so fucking  _bad_ at lying, he hates himself for it. He not looking into her eyes anymore, so she reaches over the desk and takes his hand.

“I was scared, okay? I was scared because you’re—well, you’re you. Then the gala happened, and it freaked me out because I wanted more than that.”

Tony finally looks up. “Really?” He’s way too eager, but he doesn’t care. He grips her hand now, suddenly praying that he hadn’t heard her wrong. That she wanted him, too. Not just the play boy part of him, but the broken parts that come along with him, too.

“Can we just start over?” She asks, gently rubbing her thumb over his hand. “I want you, Tony, I do…but I think we did this the wrong way.”

He chuckles. “So getting laid in a coat closet was not the best way to ask you out?”

She rolls her eyes, but she still laughs. “Not exactly. That’s why I want to start over.”

“Well, then. My name is Tony Stark. Do you want to go out sometime?”

~

When Tony finally goes on the first date with the love of his life, it’s sweet. She insisted that they keep it simple, but when has Tony Stark ever been one for the simple life?

He greets her with a bouquet of roses, opening the door for her as he leads her into he car. He lends her his coat as the sun sets and the chill settles in. The entire date is a cheesy cliche, but she doesn’t care. It’s wonderful and sweet, and she doesn’t want it any other way.

After dinner at a rather pretentious five-star restaurant, Tony takes her up to the penthouse, eagerly leading her to the roof. She’s surprised to find a blanket and a bottle of champagne waiting for them. 

“Stargazing and champagne. A man after my own heart.”

He smiles as he pours her a glass. “I’m spoiling you in hopes that you’ll put out tonight. Is it working?”

This draws a genuine laugh from her, and he’s almost giddy at the sound. She leans against him, intertwining his fingers with his as she sips the champagne. Tony points at nearly every plane that passes their vision, commenting on the odd number of shooting stars that night. She rolls her eyes, but she suddenly sees a flicker of light in the distance.

“Look, there’s an actual shooting star.” She points out to it, but he’s still looking at her. “You missed it.”

Tony shrugs. “Don’t need to make a wish. I think it’ll come true tonight.”

She looks at him curiously. “Honestly, I thought you were going to make some cheesy joke about me being the wish that came true.”

“Oh, hell no. My wish was going to be you spending the night, but now that I’ve said it, it’s probably not going to come true.”

She kisses his cheek. “Anything is possible, you know.”

There’s a mischievous look in his eyes before his lips finally crash into hers. They finally fall back against the blanket, and he sighs softly, relishing the feeling of her kiss. She stops for a moment, planting a soft kiss on his cheek again and beaming down at him. 

“Wanna go make that wish come true?”

He tucks some stray hands back behind her ear. “I’d rather stay here and enjoy the view.”

“Boo. You’re no fun. Other billionaire playboys would  _love_  to take me to bed.”

He laughs. “Sorry to disappoint.”

She shrugs, finding her place on his chest. They lay together in silence, occasionally pointing out planes or helicopters that pass the penthouse. It’s only his first date with her, but something stirs in Tony’s heart. A warm familiarity, like he was meant to be laying here with her, running his hands through her hair. Like he was meant to be holding her. Like he was supposed to hold her for the rest of his life.

He isn’t sure yet, but she’s laying on his chest, and he just wants to believe that she’s the one. It’s got to be her. He wants it to be her.

He doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going to get his happy ending after all.


	3. I Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He loves her, but he doesn't know how to say it.

Tony wakes up alone that morning. He’s surprised that the space next to him is empty, and he immediately jumps out of bed to find her. He shouldn’t be so worried, but he isn’t quite used to waking up without her now. 

His breathing steadies to find her in the kitchen, standing over the stove. She looks so wonderful and domestic, wearing his shirt and her hair pulled into a bun. Stray strands fall against the back of her neck, and she looks so beautiful, like she was meant to be standing in his kitchen like this.

“I know you’re standing there, Tony.”

He chuckles and makes his way over to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He presses a soft kiss to her neck, and she giggles. The gentle sound is enough to make his heart melt, but the warmth within him is almost foreign. He pushes the thought away and rests his head on her shoulder.

“What are you doing?”

She giggles again. “What does it look like, Tony? I’m cooking breakfast.”

He’s incredulous now. “I pay people to cook for us.”

She turns to face him, kissing his lips softly. “I thought, just  _maybe…_ we could pretend we’re normal human beings who make breakfast for themselves.”

“That is absolutely ridiculous. A lot of money is spent on paying my kitchen staff, you know.”

She rolls her eyes. “Sit down like a big boy and wait for your breakfast.”

Another quick peck to her neck elicits another wonderful, beautiful giggle. He sits down at the counter, pondering the feeling of warmth in his chest. 

She’s humming now, an unfamiliar tune, but Tony can listen to her all day. He loves the sound of her voice. He loves the way her melodies start off with humming, and eventually she’s singing softly in his ear. He loves the songs she sings, even if he doesn’t know all of them. 

It strikes him to realize that he loves her. 

He’s never  _really_ loved someone. His mother, of course. And then there’s a different love for the team, the kind of love that comes with protecting his friends. 

This love is soft, gentle. The kind that makes him want to cancel all his meetings for the week and hold her in his arms all day. The kind that makes him wish every morning was like this one, homemade breakfast and sweet kisses over coffee.

She finally turns around, bringing him a plate of eggs and bacon. She kisses his hair and hands him a fork, sitting down across from him. They sit down and enjoy breakfast, but he finds that he isn’t really hungry. 

He can’t stop looking at her. Her hair falls out of the pony tail, tickling her nose as it falls against her face. She tucks it behind her ear, and suddenly she feels him looking at her. Tony loves the mornings with her, before she’s put on any makeup. She shifts her gaze to him, beaming as she catches him staring. 

There’s that feeling again, it’s warm and overwhelming and somewhat terrifying, but he loves her. Should he say it? God, you’d think he’d finally grow up and say it, but she’s  _perfect_  and the moment is almost too perfect. Saying something too soon could ruin everthing.

He’s still playing with the food, pushing around the scrambled eggs in an attempt to make it look like he’d eaten. It’s quiet in the room but his thoughts are everywhere—he can barely think now.

“Thank you,” he blurts out suddenly, “for breakfast.”

She glances at his plate. “You barely touched it, honey.”

“I’m not very hungry, but I just wanted to say thank you anyway.” His heart is racing, and he can feel sweat on his brow. A look of concern washes over her face, and she brings a hand to his forehead.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re about to faint.” Her touch is so delicate and wonderful, and he instinctively takes her hand, kissing it gently.

“I’m fine, I swear.”

She doesn’t quite believe him, but she kisses his forehead again. “If you’re sure, okay. It’s time to get ready for work.”

Getting ready for work is always better when she stays the night. He sneaks into her shower, relishing the noises she makes as he presses his lips all over her body. It takes them a little longer to get ready when they shower together, but she doesn’t mind it in the slightest.

She sits in her robe as he dresses, picking his suit for the day. She’s the one kissing him as he ges dressed, pressing her lips to the back of his neck as she finally puts on his coat. 

She always  _tries_ to get ready alone, although Tony manages to sneak into the guest room and tackles her to the bed every time the robe comes off. It takes them a  _very_ long time to get ready if Tony successfully sneaks in her room, but she doesn’t mind.

Finally, they’re dressed, and she’s readjusting her lipstick for the second time, and Tony smirks as he wipes off the last bit of red lipstick left on his mouth. He bids her goodbye as she leaves for the biomed division, and he continues to his office.

~

Later that afternoon, she arrives at his office, and the warm feeling in Tony’s chest starts flooding to his entire body. He just saw her that morning, but it strikes him how much he missed her as she stands in his office holding up boxes of food.

“Thought I would surprise you with Japanese food from that place down the street,” she says, laying out the boxes the coffee table, “and before you get all freaked out about it, it’s actually really good. Just have faith in something other than a burger and fries.”

Tony rolls his eyes as she hands him a box of the foreign food, fumbling with the chopsticks as she masterfully wields her own pair. He successfully picks up some sushi, and they eat in content silence for a while.

She’s beautiful even when she eats. It’s so almost pathetic, how enanamored he is with her, but he can’t help it. She’s quick with the chopsticks, and he is just so in  _love_ with her, even while eating shrimp. He’s looking at her for far too long now, and she catches him yet again, smiling curiously at him.

“Okay. What is going on?”

He almost chokes on his rice. “Nothing! I’m fine, I swear. Really. Cross my heart.”

“You ‘re acting strange today,” she says with a laugh, “you’re lucky that I love you.”

His head is spinning now.

She loves him. She  _loves_ him. She loves  _him._

There’s silence for a moment, and her stomach drops. She’s never said it aloud, and the terrified expression on Tony’s face only adds to her embarrassment. She shouldn’t have said anything. 

“I’m sorry. I was just—”

“You love me?” Tony’s heart is beating so fast, he clutches his chest, worrying that the arc reactor in his chest may be malfunctioning.

She cracks a nervous smile. “O-of course I love you. More than you know.”

He sits in silence for a moment, unable to look her in the eyes. She takes his hand, running her thumb over his knuckles. She is so soft and her touch is so comforting and warm, and he can’t help but lean into her as they sit together on the couch. Her arm wraps around his shoulder, cradling him as she runs her fingers through his hair. He closes his eyes and releases a shaky breath before sitting up and facing her again.

“I love you too,” he says softly, “I love you so much.”

She kisses his lips gently, and he just melts into her. He loves her, and she loves him. He loves the feel of her lips on his, the way her hands always seem to find his hair, the way she breathes as she’s kissing him, and  _God,_ the soft sighing that echoes as their lips move together—he loves it all. He’s almost high on the feeling, and as she’s kissing him, he simply cannot get enough.

“I love you,” he whispers between kisses, “I love you. I love you. I love you…”

She stops kissing him for a moment, resting her forehead on his. “Yeah, I know.”

He groans and falls against her, nuzzling his face against her neck. She giggles in delight, relishing the feeling of his kisses and the confessions of love he whispers against her skin.

He loves her. She’s the one, he knows it now. She’s the one, and she loves him back.

Maybe he is getting his happy ending after all.


	4. Broken Glass And Rainy Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony has a lot of healing to do, but she's there every step of the way.

Tony is blessed to have her. Sometimes he can’t quite believe that he has her, actually.

She is the soft, glowing light that appears behind clouds after a storm. She is the sun, keeping him warm, keeping the blood flowing in his veins. She’s the moon, giving him light even the darkest nights.

She is so gentle. Something he’s not exactly used to, something he doesn’t think he deserves, but she doesn’t see it that way. She loves him.

She is light and love personified, and he honestly has no idea how he lived without her before. 

Some days are more difficult than others. There are days where Tony feels like he’s floating, the weight on his shoulders lifted, and the sun shines a little brighter than usual. It’s all because of her, usually. It’s always her. 

There are other days where it’s overcast. The sunshine is nowhere to be found, and the pleasant warmth is gone. 

And when it rains,  _it fucking pours_. 

She’s still in her own office when it happens. When the voices in his head are too loud and too much to bear. It’s the first time in a couple years he’s felt this way alone; usually, she’s at his side, coaxing him out of his anxiety. He feels nauseous, and he can only breathe slowly, forcing himself not to spew across his desk. 

He tries to croak out for FRIDAY, barely whispering to the AI that he needs her in his office immediately. He finally finds the strength to step away from his desk, sitting on the floor right in front instead. He’s aching to feel something, aching to feel something other than the weight in his chest. 

Days, weeks, years seem to pass before the doors to his office fly open. He recognizes her heels and slowly looks up. Her face is painted with worry, and guilt bubbles up in his stomach.

“I’m sorry.” Tony’s buried against her blouse now, sighing as he feels her fingers in his hair. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to bother you.”

She’s kneeling beside him, cradling him in her arms. “You never bother me. You know that.”

He’s quiet again, trying to ignore the demons that scream in his mind. Sometimes, it’s better right after she holds him and reminds him of her love. He’s hoping that it’s going to get better, but his stomach twists. The voices in his mind have been a little loud lately.

“I love you. You’re okay.” She holds him a little tighter.

A man can only hope.

~

A new day.

They wake up. They get ready together. He feigns a smile when she puts his tie on and helps him with his jacket. Her lips are sweet, soft. The lipstick she wears somehow always tastes like candy. 

He wonders if she can taste the scotch from last night.

She pauses for a moment after their lips touch. Guilt knocks the wind out of him, a sharp jab to his gut.

“Tony…”

“It was one drink. I’m—I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry.”

She doesn’t say anything more. She bids him goodbye when the elevator reaches his office. Before returning to her own office, she goes back up to the penthouse and the laboratory. 

Her heart breaks when she finds more bottles of scotch than she should have. She’s dizzy now, both worried out of her mind and terrified for Tony, nearly in tears at the thought of him silently suffering like this. 

She breaks the bottles as she’s throwing them in the trash.

~

Later on in the day, FRIDAY calls her office. Tony is inebriated at eleven o’clock in the morning. 

She’s shocked when she finds him bent over on the floor, vomiting uncontrollably. His shaking in his arms now, and his eyes flutter to a close despite her efforts to wake him. 

Fuck, she should have said something. She barely said anything to him this morning when she smelled the scotch on his breath. She screaming now, screaming as the paramedics cover Tony’s face with an oxygen mask, screaming as they poke him with needles.

Before he’s wheeled away, she finds more bottles of scotch in the desk. She hurls them at the wall, wincing as the glass and alcohol splatter across the office.

She smells like scotch now, too.

~

Tony wakes up to white walls, white sheets. Next to him, she’s asleep in a chair, one hand extended to his own. He doesn’t say anything and goes back to sleep, praying to anyone in the universe that she’ll still be there when he wakes up again.

And when he wakes up, she’s still there. She always is.

They get to go home. The doctor says something about rehab, and although Tony scoffs, she takes the pamphlets anyway. She’s silent while she drives, and he’s nauseous again. He looks out the window. 

It’s raining. The sight makes his heart heavy. He used to joke that she could control the weather, because whenever she was happy, it was almost always a sunny day. The fact that she’s silent as black clouds roll across the sky leaves a horrible feeling his chest. 

“I’m sorry.”

She grips the steering wheel. “You don’t have to be sorry.”

“I’m sorry,” he repeats, “I’m sorry that you have to deal with this. With me.”

She quickly pulls the car over, putting it in park and taking Tony into her arms. He’s suddenly sobbing into her, shaking uncontrollably as she cradles him. 

“You  _never_  have to be sorry, do you hear me? It’s going to be okay, Tony. I got you, you’re okay. I promise. Cross my heart.”

He chuckles a little, remembering their little catchphrase. His face is still buried in her shirt, and he’s not quite ready to get up yet. He lets out a shaky breath.

“I can’t do this without you,” he murmurs. “I can’t. I-I need you, okay? I need you here. I’m fucked up, I know, I just—”

She holds his face in her hands, looking him directly in the eyes. “Did you hear what I said? I got you, Tony. I promise. You aren’t going to be alone. I won’t let that happen.”

They stay like this for a while, tangled together in their car. She holds him for as long as he needs, and he thanks every higher being in the universe for his angel.

~

The next day, it’s sunny. There are some clouds, but the sun feels good on his skin. She’s right there with him, arms wrapped around his chest. Carefully, he gets out of bed first. He searches the penthouse, pulling out the last of the secret stashes of scotch. 

She jolts out of bed to the sound of breaking glass. When she runs to the sound, she finds Tony in the kitchen, breathing heavily. He’s standing next to the pile of broken glass and booze.

“I want to be better,” he blurts out, “and I need you to help me. I need to be better. I have to be better.”

He’s shaking now, seeing the expression on her face and the mess he’s just made. She stands in silence for a moment before taking his hand. 

“Let’s clean up.”

~

The next few months get easier. After proper rehab, there are more sunny days. There are still days where his thundering thoughts are too loud, and the anxiety rips through his body like lightning. Still, she holds him through every storm, and he feels better in her arms. Even in his darkest moments, she’s there. She’s always there.

He loves seeing her in the morning, her arms wrapped around him. Protecting him. Even when she’s sleeping, she’s there for him, making sure he’s okay. He has no idea how she does it, but it just makes him fall further in love.

He loves seeing her curled up against him as they get in bed after long days. They start off the night with Tony’s arms wrapped around her torso, and she’s stroking his hair. She sings softly for him, knowing that it’s easier to hear something other than the voices in his mind. She always knows what to do, and again, he has no idea how she can do this. How she can love him this much, how she can still stay at his side despite the fact he’s a broken mess.

She never minds. It’s him, after all. Tony needs her, and she needs him, too.

She is love and light personified, and he cannot be more grateful.


End file.
